Warner Bros. is betting big on its forthcoming apocalyptic extravaganza Mad Max: Fury Road. A return to the arid landscapes that dominated the road warrior’s earlier outings, this blockbuster positively smoulders in the brand new trailer that careened online today.
For the main thrust of previous previews, the focus has orbited around the titular figure played by Tom Hardy. His story arc finds him adrift in a dusty, inhospitable wasteland with no sense of direction – until he befriends Charlize Theron’s tough Imperator Furiosa. Desperate to return to her homeland, she and Max team up and face the evil tyrant Immortan Joe whilst charging across the cracked desert plains.
And now that the general story has been established, it’s time for hell to break loose in today’s fun time, balls-to-the-wall preview. A maelstrom of bespoke vehicles, seemingly crafted from the remnants of an atomic blast, pummel beneath a sunny sky and pretty much attempt to decimate their opponents. With a whole host of ragtag characters behind the wheels (Nicholas Hoult is a crazed delight, for one) it’s no wonder Miller’s return to the wasteland has been heralded as one of 2015’s must-see movies.
Mad Max: Fury Road opens on May 15.
From director George Miller, originator of the post-apocalyptic genre and mastermind behind the legendary “Mad Max” franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road,” a return to the world of the Road Warrior, Max Rockatansky.
Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.
Tom Hardy (“The Dark Knight Rises”) stars in the title role in “Mad Max: Fury Road”—the fourth in the franchise’s history. Oscar winner Charlize Theron (“Monster,” “Prometheus”) stars as the Imperator, Furiosa. The film also stars Nicholas Hoult (“X-Men: Days of Future Past”) as Nux; Hugh Keays-Byrne (“Mad Max,” “Sleeping Beauty”) as Immortan Joe; and Nathan Jones (“Conan the Barbarian”) as Rictus Erectus. Collectively known as The Wives, Zoë Kravitz (“Divergent”) plays Toast, Riley Keough (“Magic Mike”) is Capable, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”) is Splendid, and supermodel Abbey Lee is The Dag, and Courtney Eaton is Fragile. Also featured in the movie are Josh Helman as Slit, Jennifer Hagan as Miss Giddy, and singer/songwriter/performer iOTA as Coma-Doof Warrior.